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Dr. Pamela Cipriano, PhD, RN, FAAN |
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Great News-Have You Heard?
RAM Receives Governor's AwardThe Health System Remote Area Medical (RAM) Clinic is a proud recipient of a 2008 Volunteerism and Community Service Award from Governor Timothy Kaine. These awards highlight the efforts of outstanding citizens of the Commonwealth who enhance the lives of others in their communities. I add my sincere congratulations to the many Health System volunteers who donate their time, energy and expertise to improve the health of the people of southwest Virginia and beyond. RAM is an essential Health System team effort that brings caring, knowledge and skills to those who do not have regular access to medical care. RAM volunteers look forward each year to this opportunity to travel to Wise, Virginia to work with medical and dental teams from throughout the Commonwealth and to meet and care for the many wonderful people who seek our services. Congratulations RAM volunteers for the good work you do, both here and throughout Virginia. http://www.vaservice.org/go/volunteer/award/.
Collaborations
Operating Room Rounds
Last month, I made rounds in the main Operating Rooms with Dr. Jeff Young, Associate Professor of Surgery and Emergency Medicine, and Medical Director for Quality and Performance Improvement. We talked with a variety of circulating nurses and surgical team members to find out how well our safety procedures are working in the OR. Most reported increasing ease of completing the time out process. Documentation is excellent and a number of creative approaches have helped get everyone focused on excellence in patient safety. It was great seeing so many staff in action. Thanks for the warm welcome!
Innovations
A group of graduate students in the Accelerated Masters Program in Engineering spent a week in the pharmacy and the inpatient units reviewing our longstanding replacement medication issues. Their findings validated that significant time and money are lost annually in this process. The Nursing Pharmacy Committee will review the excellent recommendations in May, and begin implementing short and long term solutions. We will share action plans with you in the very near future.
Welcome New Staff!
Check out the CCS colleagues who joined us in April. Click to view the list.
If your name is not on this list, please tell me at AskPam@virginia.edu.
Celebrating Your Accomplishments
The Nursing Research Mentor Program has steadily grown our clinical research program and skills. New Research Mentors are selected each year. These 39 Mentors enhance the clinical research skills of clinicians throughout the Health System. Suzi Burns had led this successful program since its inception and is currently guiding 39 Research Mentors. Great work!
Eric Blum, RN, led a research team to study the effects on anxiety and patient satisfaction by providing regular status updates from the OR to waiting families. Here is a short video sharing some of the study's outcomes:
mms://es-media.eservices.virginia.edu/hswebcenter/news/ConstantContact.wmv (you may have to paste the link into your browser). Working with Eric on this study are Terry Breeden, RN, Lora Carver, RN, Tim Epple, RN, Ken Goodberry, RN, and Paula O'Buckley, RN.
One of our newest Nursing Research teams received a notable accolade. Cherie Parks, RN, Heart and Vascular Center Cardiology Clinic, presented the poster, "Self Identified Educational Needs of Female Ambulatory Cardiology Patients as Compared to Perceived Educational Needs of the Health Care Provider Using A Card Sort Technique" at the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association 14th Annual Symposium in Orlando, Florida. The poster was honored with a second place award in the Data-Based Research Category! Congratulations to all the members of this team: Melly Turner, RN, Research Mentor and Study Coordinator, Cherie Chaney, RN, PI, Mary Lou Perry, MS, RD, Cherie Parks, RN, Elizabeth Hooper, RN, Rachel Smith, BS, Nutrition Student who validated card sort data, and Mark Conaway, PhD, Statistician.
Diana Rockwell, RN, and Gene Demsky, RN, proudly represented UVa nursing at the recent National American Radiological Nurses Association convention in Washington DC, March 16 through 20. The theme for this year's conference was Radiology Nursing: Advancing Opportunities in Imaging. Diana presented a poster on "A Competency for Central Line Use in Radiology;" Gene's poster featured information on "Managing Ascites in the Cancer Patient." Great work!
In March we joined colleagues across the nation to celebrate the first annual National Certified Nurse Day. We are proud to share the achievements of the nurse who challenge themselves to enhance their practice through certification. Reginia Stottlemyer, RN, and Suzanne Fuhrmeister, RN, are 4 Central colleagues who recently achieved certification in Preventative Cardiovascular Nursing. This is great news!
Dr. Paul Levine, Director of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology, has had numerous opportunities recently to convey his pride in the work of colleagues through his leadership of the Triologic Society. Triavanh Somchay, RN and Mary Ann Desaulniers, RN, both nurses in our Operating Room, were awarded the Society's Vice Presidential Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Otolaryngology Head and Neck Care. Congratulations to Triavanh and Mary Ann!
Michelle McCarthy, PharmD, Clinical Specialist for Drug Information and Interim Residency Director, has been appointed to serve on the Commission on Credentialing for the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. This is a prestigious position as the Commission "formulates and recommends standards and administers programs for accreditation of pharmacy personnel training programs and administer the Practitioner Recognition Program." In addition, Michelle received the Louis P. Jeffrey Award at the Eastern States Residency Conference. This award is presented annually for distinguished service to the profession of pharmacy and commitment to residency training. Michelle was enthusiastically nominated for this award by our current pharmacy residents! Congratulations on these achievements and accolades Michelle!
May is also the time to celebrate:
Critical Care Awareness and Recognition Month
Oncology Nurses Month
North American Occupational Safety and Health Week, May 4-10
Emergency Medical Services Week, May 18-24
Employee Health and Fitness Day, May 21
I hope you, too, find much to enjoy in this wonderful month of May.
Contact Me
Remember, send your questions, concerns, and news to: AskPam@virginia.edu.